This invention relates to an apparatus for automatically preparing masks and/or block copies for printing.
In the present state of the art, reliance is being placed on handwork of skilled workers for the work of preparing block copies, cut masks, and cut-out masks in the fabrication of plates for printing, there being a lag in automatization and power saving.
Recently, automatic block copy plotting systems for this power saving are being developed. This is a combination of a digitizer which is a coordinate input device and a plotter with a minicomputer and is operated by introducing as input the coordinate of a specific point of the mask in a set layout specifying sheet onto the digitizer and plotting this.
The introduction of the input to the digitizer in this automatic block copy plotting system can be accomplished in simple manner if the shape of the mask is a rectangle, but when an irregular figure is to be introduced as input, inputing of a large number of coordinates must be carried out, and much time is required for the inputing procedure.